Continental Can Company
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Packaging, Metal containers |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Founder | Edwin Norton, T.G. Cranwell |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Acquired by Suiza Foods Corporation; operations merged into United States Can Company; brand later rebranded as Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc. |
| Successor | United States Can Company, Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Stamford, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Europe (after 1969 acquisition) |
Key people | Lucius D. Clay (Chairman 1950–1962), Donald J. Bainton (Chairman 1989–1998) |
| Products | Metal containers, packaging solutions including paper and glass containers, bottle caps, fiber drums, paperboard products |
Number of employees | Thousands (by mid-1930s) (1930s) |
| Parent | Continental Group (from 1976 until dissolution in 1991) |
Continental Can Company (CCC) stood as a prominent American manufacturer specializing in metal containers and packaging, with its headquarters located in Stamford, Connecticut. Established in 1904 by Edwin Norton and T.G. Cranwell, CCC rapidly emerged as a significant rival to the American Can Company. Early in its development, the company obtained patents from United Machinery Company, which facilitated the commencement of production in 1905.
Throughout World War II, CCC diversified its production lines to include aircraft components and bombs, contributing actively to wartime manufacturing efforts. The company’s labor force was represented by the United Steelworkers of America union. In 1956, CCC broadened its operations by acquiring Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, then the third-largest glass container manufacturer in the United States. This acquisition led to the landmark United States v. Continental Can Co. Supreme Court case in 1964.
History
In 1909, CCC strengthened its supply chain through the purchase of the Standard Tin Plate Company. Initially concentrating on cans for packing fruits and vegetables, the firm expanded into general canning markets by 1912. By 1913, it had consolidated various company interests and formally incorporated in New York.
The 1920s were characterized by aggressive growth, with nearly twenty acquisitions including the purchase of the third-largest can manufacturer, United States Can Company, in 1928. By 1934, CCC and American Can collectively produced approximately two-thirds of all cans in the United States, operating 38 facilities across the US and Cuba. Despite economic challenges during the Great Depression, CCC remained profitable and employed thousands nationwide by the mid-1930s.
Revenue climbed from $80.9 million in 1935 to $120.7 million by 1940. The company extended its reach internationally with plants in Canada and diversified its product portfolio to include paper and fiber containers, bottle caps, and synthetic resin materials. By the end of the decade, CCC operated 65 plants encompassing fiber container and plastics manufacturing sites. In 1954, gross sales totaled $616 million with net profits near $21 million across 81 plants.
During its first fifty years, CCC acquired 28 can manufacturers as well as producers of fiber drums, paper containers, and bottle tops. The 1956 takeover of Hazel-Atlas Glass positioned CCC as the first company to offer packaging solutions in metal, paper, and glass formats. Other notable acquisitions included Cochrane Foil Company for aluminum packaging and Robert Gair Company for paperboard products. These strategic moves propelled annual sales past $1 billion in 1957, briefly overtaking American Can.
On July 1, 1959, tragedy struck when a company executive aircraft crashed while returning from Chicago to New York headquarters, resulting in the deaths of eight executives and two pilots.
The debut of an easy-open metal can lid in 1963 significantly increased metal can usage for beverages; by 1966 over 45% of beer and more than 15% of soft drinks sold in the US were canned. That same year saw CCC introduce the first commercially viable welded can. The acquisition of Schmalbach-Lubeca-Werke A.G., Europe’s largest packaging manufacturer, in 1969 expanded CCC’s global operations from 155 plants in 1960 to 228 facilities worldwide.
Entering the early 1970s, market oversupply and intensified competition eroded profitability; domestic can profits dropped from $115 million in 1969 to $52 million by 1973. In response, CCC implemented strategic changes including shutting down older plants to focus on automated metal-processing centers located closer to customers. Additionally, it pioneered ultraviolet curing technology for inks and coatings on metal plates to improve production efficiency.
Continental Group
In 1976, CCC transformed its identity by adopting the name Continental Group, expanding its reach into a global conglomerate while maintaining "Continental Can" as its packaging segment. By 1987, the residual operations of Continental Can were merged into United States Can Company, a branch of Inter-American Packaging, which led two executives to launch Silgan Holdings. The Continental Group was ultimately dissolved in 1991. That same year, Continental Can Company was mandated to compensate former workers and members of the United Steelworkers union with $415 million following a pension fraud case dating back to the late 1970s. The "Continental Can Company" brand and logo were acquired and rebranded as Viatech Continental Can Company, Inc. in 1992. In June 1998, Suiza Foods Corporation purchased Continental Can; however, by July 1999, Suiza exited its US packaging business in return for minority shares in Consolidated Container Company. By the year 2000, Continental Can's main remaining asset was Dixie Union, a flexible film operation based in Kempten, Germany.
Deals
Key financial instruments issued by Continental Can included:
- 1945: Issuance of 150,000 shares of $3.75 cumulative preferred stock
- 1951: Distribution of 104,533 shares of $4.25 cumulative second preferred stock alongside $15 million in 3.25% debentures maturing in 1976
- 1960: Offering $30 million in 4.625% debentures due in 1985
- 1970: Release of $60 million in 8.5% sinking fund debentures with maturity set for 1990
- 1974: Introduction of 8.85% sinking fund debentures scheduled to mature in 2004
Facilities
- Stamford, Connecticut (Corporate Headquarters)
- Chicago, Illinois
- Itasca, Illinois
- Coffeyville, Kansas
- Roanoke, Virginia
- Dayton, Ohio
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Syracuse, New York
- Elwood, Indiana
- Los Angeles, California
- Union City, California
- Seattle, Washington (cans produced at Plant 13; machinery at Plant 31)
- Portland, Oregon
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Olympia, Washington
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- North Collins, New York
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Paterson, New Jersey
- Passaic, New Jersey (manufacturing site near Main Ave. and Brook Ave.)
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
- Houston, Texas (fiber drum production)
- Cleveland, Ohio (site of Hankins Container Company acquisition in late 1950s)
- Toronto, Ontario (Plants numbered 54, 483, and 639)
- Montreal, Quebec (Plant 59)
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Malden, Massachusetts (Plant 57; ceased operations in 1984)
- Weirton, West Virginia
- Tampa, Florida
- Vicksburg, Mississippi (Plant number 459)
- Lima, Ohio (Plant number 475)
- Tonawanda, New York (paperboard manufacturing facility)
Chairmen
- Lucius D. Clay (1950–1962), recognized for his strategic leadership and business acumen
- Donald J. Bainton (1989–1998), guided the company through pivotal growth stages and operational oversight
- Packaging companies of the United States
- Manufacturing companies established in 1904
- American companies established in 1904
- 1999 disestablishments in the United States
- Companies based in Stamford, Connecticut
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Connecticut
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment